November Giveaway -- Week Five

WON BY NANCY PAYETTE

WON BY PERRIANNE

WON BY PAM W.

WON BY JACKIE SMITH

WON BY CARYL KANE

WON BY MELISSA OLDAKER

WON BY LUCY REYNOLDS

WON BY WENDY NEWCOMB

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing address. From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU. Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address and I'll email you to confirm your win is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping time. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Eeeeppp!!!! Trying to get my Love Inspired Christmas books read in time for the winners to get their copies by Christmas so I'm doing two LI giveaways on Wednesday. Reviews will be up at midnight and noon.

The Farmer's Bride

GIVEAWAY

FULLER, KATHLEEN
THE FARMER'S BRIDE

They promised to keep each other's secrets...not realizing they were about to make some of their own.

Martha Detweiler has a problem many Amish women her age would envy: she's the only single woman in a community of young men, and they're all competing for her favor. Overwhelmed by the unwanted attention. Martha finds herself constantly fleeing from her would-be suitors, dismayed at what her life has come to.

Birch Creek's resident matchmaker, Cevilla Schlabach, suggests a solution: Martha and the bishop's son, Seth Yoder, should pretend they are dating. What better way to keep the other young men away?

But Seth is the only man around not interested in Martha. He has a secret hobby that keeps him away from social gatherings: woodcarving. Having grown up in poverty, he's determined to keep his father's farm successful, even if it means he has no time for dating. Then Delilah Stoll, a new resident of Birch Creek, eyes Seth as the perfect man for her granddaughter. Suddenly Cevilla's proposition doesn't seem all that ludicrous. Can Seth and Martha convince their family and friends to leave them alone?

The second book in bestselling author Kathleen Fuller's Amish Brides of Birch Creek series, The Farmer's Bride celebrates the unexpected power of love and the joy of discovering God's calling.

My Review:

Sweet and fun...and complicated. I laughed and cringed and rolled my eyes and had my tender heart prodded a time or two.

This is the second book in Fuller's Amish Brides of Birch Creek series though it reads very well as a standalone. However, fans of the series will be thrilled to join Cevilla in her latest plotting. Love her aged wisdom and fiesty nature. And she can juggle subtle and not-so-subtle to meet any matchmaking occasion. What a riot!

Martha's desperate buwe problem is such a switch for this kind of romantic comedy. Had me grinning and wincing and feeling almost as panic-stricken as she did. And Seth's indifference makes him the perfect player in a bit of skillful subterfuge..until it gets out of hand.

A wonderful cast of secondary characters bring this community to life as the author treats us with multiple viewpoints and subplots that add to all the drama and hijinks. These are the kind of characters you don't want to say goodbye to. I'm really looking forward to the third book in this series -- The Innkeeper's Bride -- releasing in January.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Farmer's Bride, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Her Cowboy Till Christmas

GIVEAWAY

KEMERER, JILL
HER COWBOY TILL CHRISTMAS

She's only home for the holidays...Can he convince her to stay?

The last person rancher Mason Fanning ever expects to see again is the girl who once broke his heart. Brittany Green is in town for Christmas and trying to convince her ailing grandmother -- the only maternal figure the widower's little has left -- to move away. Can Mason show her all she really needs to fulfill her dreams is right in Wyoming?

Wyoming Sweethearts

My Review:

Three cheers for disgruntled cowboys everywhere -- especially the way Jill Kemerer writes them! Embittered and cantankerous. Prone to wallowing in the pain of the past. And none to happy about his former sweetheart showing up on his doorstep without any warning. What a gnarly reunion! But for all his grumpiness, Mason is a sweetheart. He's a doting dad and a kind neighbour and a devoted friend. A man who can be counted on...

Just not where romance is concerned. And that's fine by Brittany. She's not planning to stay past Christmas...until her heart starts getting ideas her mind can't subdue. Love the ups and downs of this reunion romance. Heartache aplenty, but there are sweet, tender memories too. And surprises galore! 

This is the first book in Jill Kenerer's Wyoming Sweethearts series and I already love the town and the people who live there. The author gives us some enticing glimpses into the lives of a few secondary characters I am sure will be featured in future books -- all with their own special brand of angst to look forward to. The next book releases in spring 2020 and I can't wait!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Her Cowboy Till Christmas, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Christmas Witness Pursuit

GIVEAWAY

HARRIS, LISA
CHRISTMAS WITNESS PURSUIT

Running for their lives at Christmastime...
Can a lawman keep a key witness safe?

Deputy Griffin O'Callaghan has a situation on his hands -- two dead FBI agents, criminals on the loose and Tory Faraday, a witness with no memory. With a blizzard moving in and killers hunting them down, Griffin must keep Tory safe. But even his family's ranch can't provide a haven when a dangerous criminal escapes from custody one goal: finding Tory.

My Review:

Non-stop action and suspense made Christmas Witness Pursuit a real page-turner for me -- from the heart-in-throat first page through all the twists and turns of an angsty plot. Eyeballs glued to the page stuff -- which pretty much sums up anything Lisa Harris writes whether it's a Love Inspired Suspense or her longer romantic suspense novels published with Revell.

Love the hero and heroine battling the elements -- a fictional blizzard is the perfect kind of snowstorm for me! I can enjoy it with a cup of hot chocolate while reclining on my fainting couch in case dire events or surprise kisses threaten a swoonathon.

A pulse-rattling read-in-one-sitting suspense...with a wee bit of Christmas thrown in.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Christmas Witness Pursuit, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The White Christmas Inn

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

WRIGHT, COLLEEN
THE WHITE CHRISTMAS INN

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

A New England inn seems like the picture perfect place to spend the holidays. But when a snowstorm shuts the roads and keeps the guests inside, they find themselves worrying that this Christmas may not be exactly what they dreamed.

Molly just needs to keep her head down and finisher her latest book, but her writer's block is crippling. The arrival of Marcus, a handsome widower with two young girls, is exactly the distraction she doesn't need.

Hannah had planned a picturesque winter wedding, but as the storm hits, her plans come crashing down. Just when she thinks she'll never love again, her childhood friend Luke comes to town to check on his grandmother before the storm. Could there be romance in her future after all?

Jeanne and Tim don't know how they're going to keep the inn open another year -- or how to bridge the distance between them in their marriage. With a flurry of unexpected guests, they'll have to work together to keep their little inn afloat. But will it be enough to rekindle their relationship?

As the character's stories intertwine, they start to find hope where they thought it had been lost. Though this is definitely not the Christmas any of them imagined, with faith and a little bit of holiday magice, they all might just find this the most wonderful Christmas ever.

My Review:

published in 2018

A heartwarming holiday addition to the libraries of Christmas fiction aficionados everywhere. Think vintage 1942 movie 'Holiday Inn' married with Debbie Macomber's classic Christmas brilliance and you'll have an idea of what to expect from The White Christmas Inn.

Rich descriptive prose provide lush ambiance to this incredible story of a diverse group of travelers stranded at a Vermont inn over Christmas. Everyone has a story and the way the author skillfully weaves intricate details of their varied lives into a cohesive tale of hope and new beginnings is inspired.

This is the kind of stand-up-and-cheer holiday tale that's worth reading more than once. My only complaint is that after all those lusicious food descriptions I anticipated an addendum of recipes at the end of the book! Alas, there were none, but I've taken notes and intend to hunt them down on my own. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The White Christmas Inn, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Stranded for the Holidays

GIVEAWAY

CARTER, LISA
STRANDED FOR THE HOLIDAYS

A new mom for Christmas? 
She's everything they've wished for.

Runaway bride AnnaBeth Cummings needs shelter for the holidays when a blizzard leaves her stranded, and rancher Jonas Stone's happy to help. But his son's been wishing for a mommy for Christmas, and town matchmakers are convinced AnnaBeth and Jonas are perfect for each other. As the storm clears, city girl AnnaBeth will have to decide: does her heart now belong in the country?

My Review:

There's a reason the snowman on the cover of this inspirational romance looks so happy -- this story is so much fun it's grin-inducing! I want to be stranded for the holidays too!!!! Romantic comedy moments mesh with tender, heartfelt ones are what make for some literary Christmas magic.

Yes, it's true, Jonas is as swoonworthy as they come. AnnaBeth recognizes that right from the start. "God's Cowboy Gift to Women" and that he comes with his very own "mini-me cowboy" (p 19) just makes it all the more perfect. Of course, this cowboy comes with a few issues which present in a somewhat grumpy demeanor and for some strange reason he works really hard to remain impassive when AnnaBeth is around. That's hard to do though because she's "as perky and bubbly as a brand-new pup. And about as much trouble." (p 27)  You can see the problem here, right? With AnnaBeth trying not to swoon and Jonas struggling to maintain a stoic neutrality? Add in a little boy with his heart set on a mommy for Christmas and an outbreak of matchmakers scheming and, well, you get a healthy dose of Christmas cheer (and toe-curls!) Sweet perfection of a holiday read!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently copy of  Stranded for the Holidays leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Holiday Homecoming Secrets

GIVEAWAY

EASON, LYNETTE
HOLIDAY HOMECOMING SECRETS

A man from her past is back -- to help her solve a holiday murder case.

A friend is missing and presumed dead, and detective Jade Hollis is determined to track down the killer. To do that she must team up with private investigator Bryce Kingsley -- who doesn't know he is the father of her child. But she'll have to put personal secrets aside because the killer will strike again to keep the truth from being exposed.

My Review:

'Tis the season for holiday mayhem and Lynette Eason sure knows how to stir things up! Multiple secrets converge during the 'hap-happiest time of the year' causing chaos and confusion and broken hearts. I figured some of it out -- not all though -- and I enjoyed every wicked twist and hair-raising turn. Eason knows how to plant clues and flaunt red herrings with the best.

I'll admit to being a bit worried about the romance because I'm not a fan of the secret baby trope. Every time I say that though, an author wows me with their creative cleverness and that was the case with Holiday Homecoming Secrets. I bought the book because...Lynette Eason! (cue the rabid fangirling!) but I told Jade she had some explaining to do before I could give her a pass and she delivered. Eason has brought depth and compassion and heartbreaking honesty to this reunion romance. I'm impressed. And repentant. Note to self: never say never. :-)

And there's a dog, people!!! Sasha, a great hulking hairy beast of undying love with canny abilities. Throw in Christmas, cute kids and a maniacal killer on the loose and a good time is guaranteed to be had by all!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of  Holiday Homecoming, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Dark Ambitions

GIVEAWAY

HANNON, IRENE
DARK AMBITIONS

Former Army Night Stalker Rick Jordan usually has his camp for foster children to himself during the winter months. But someone has visited recently -- leaving a trail of blood. One of the two clues left behind tips Rick off to the identity of his visitor, who turns up dead. The police deem it an accident, but Rick isn't convinced. With the help of private investigator Heather Shields, he sets out to decipher the remaining clue. Except someone doesn't want them to succeed -- and will stop at nothing to keep them from finding the truth.

With her trademark psychological suspense ratcheting up the tension on every page, bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon takes you on a search for a cold-blooded killer with an ambitious goal and deadly intent.

My Review:

I adore Irene Hannon. Just putting that out there right off the top. One of my fave authors -- whether she's writing suspense or contemporary romance. I love the way she develops her characters into living, breathing people I feel like I know. And the way she develops a romance -- whoooowheeee -- makes me one very happy reader. She delivers all that and more in this latest book in her Code of Honor series (somebody tell me it's not the last one...pretty please!) Sigh -- the only downside of being an Irene Hannon fan is that you're never ready to say goodbye to beloved characters.

There's a different feel to this romantic suspense because it starts out more like a mystery and morphs into suspense about halfway through. We get lots of great details on the procedurals in the day-in-the-life of a PI as Heather accepts Rick as her new client...a client who has an invested interest in solving the case so it's not long before they end up working together.

Eeeepp -- that's my cue to talk about the romance! There's a spark right from the start. One they don't spend a long time trying to douse. :-) But acknowledging the attraction and acting on it are two very different things. Heather's not about to mix up her business and personal life. Get this missing persons case solved first and then see what transpires with the very compelling former Army Night Stalker. All good in theory. Let me just say I love the way Rick finds ways around that resolve. Happy sighs and toe curls.

The actual suspense is so compelling. We're given a few different points of view, and honestly, the murderer could be any of them. Or not. Love the way the tension builds and the occasional sinister first person point of view just ratchets it up all the more. So many gasp-out-loud plot twists! I might have shouted myself hoarse trying to raise the alarm a time or two. But did Heather and Rick listen to me? Humph. No they did not and caused me untold angst and heartache as a result. I should be mad at them but....it made for a more suspenseful story so I'll give them a pass. :-)

If you've been following the series, you'll be happy to know we get a nice bit of 'Treehouse Gang' interaction between Rick, Kristin and Colin. Love their banter and 'adopted sibling' rivalry. These are special friends who always have each others back. And the epilogue...sigh...it's soooooo cute!!! No worries, if you haven't read Dangerous Illusions or Hidden Peril (though you definitely should!) Dark Ambitions makes a great standalone read as well.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Dark Ambitions, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Apple Cider Slaying

GIVEAWAY

LINDSEY, JULIE ANNE
APPLE CIDER SLAYING

Apples are the core of the family business run by Winona Mae Montgomery and her Granny Smythe. But this year's crop is unseasonably ripe with murder...

One rotten apple.

Blossom Valley, West Virginia, is home to Smythe Orchards, Winnie and her Granny's beloved twenty-five-acre farm and family business. But any way you slice it, it's struggling. That's why they're trying to drum up business with the "First Annual Christmas at the Orchard," a good old-fashioned holiday festival with enough delicious draw to satisfy apple-picking locals and cider-loving tourists alike -- until the whole endeavor takes a sour turn when the body of Nadine Cooper, Granny's long-time, grudge-holding nemesis, is found lodged in the apple press. Now, with Granny the number one suspect, Winnie is hard-pressed to prove her innocence before the real killer delivers another murder...

My Review:

Eeeep!!! New-to-me-author and a great new series that I am super excited about. Apple Cider Slaying is everything that is good about a cozy! From the catchy title to the clever mystery and a collection of quirky characters in a quaint rural community. All beautifully wrapped up in a Christmas bow!

And the hint of romance deserves a hearty squuueeeep so cover your ears to protect them from all my squealing and eeping! Lots of crackling pizzazz going on between a certain amateur sleuth and the town sheriff. But, ooooohhhhhhh, that Colton, he is one ornery, stubborn dot-the-i's-and-cross-the-t's lawman. Infuriatingly analytical too. And suspicious. He makes Winnie spitting mad and unintentionally eggs her on with his maddeningly pragmatic approach to crime solving. But there's such chemistry between these two! I'm a tad giddy over all the romantic potential for future books in the series.

I listened to the audible version of this book read by Melissa Bentley. Brilliant narration -- she does a great job with the different characters' voices and it made me feel like I was wandering around Smythe Orchards eavesdropping on all the goings on.

Sidenote: While not a Christian Fiction selection, Apple Cider Slaying is a clean -- super clean -- read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Apple Cider Slaying, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

November Giveaway -- Week Four

WON BY JANA LEAH

WON BY CC

WON BY SUSAN F.

WON BY RUBYNREBA

WON BY PATTY

WON BY TRIXI

You know the drill: winners will be contacted if they left their email address. Otherwise it's up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca with your mailing address. From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven't been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now so, please, DON'T BE SHY -- CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN'T LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU. Books will be ordered within a week of receiving your mailing address and I'll email you to confirm your win is on its way. Give it a full month before inquiring about the status of an order to allow for processing and shipping time. Thank you!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK'S GIVEAWAYS:

Eeeeppp!!!! Trying to get my Love Inspired Christmas books read in time for the winners to get their copies by Christmas so I'm doing two LI giveaways on Tuesday and Thursday. Reviews will be up at midnight and noon on those days.

The Texan's Surprise Return

GIVEAWAY

NAVARRO, JOLENE
THE TEXAN'S SURPRISE RETURN

"Is that you? You're...you're alive." An unforgettable family reunion for the holidays.

For three years, Xavier De La Rosa's family thought he was dead. Now Xavier is back home in Texas for Christmas, and finds a wife he can't remember and adorable triplets he never knew existed. Can Xavier reclaim his memories and the love he left behind...before he returns to the job that nearly killed him.

Cowboys at Diamondback Ranch.

My Review:

Whoa! What an emotional sucker-punch of a read! One of my favourite Christmas stories this year. Because I'm all about losing myself in the gnarly angst of an epic love story. Especially at Christmastime. With three cute toddlers running around.

And the surprising amnesia plot twist really upped the edginess and had me reading with a lump in my throat as Xavier falls in love with his wife all over again. Navarro did such a convincing job with Xavier's emotional battles -- I was totally riveted. He completely shatters Selena's carefully controlled life. Her tumultuous reactions -- mixed feelings and emotional confusion were just as gripping.

This is the kind of love story that you feel your way through. Left me teary-eyed and heart bruised. With a happily-ever-after Cheshire grin on my face!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of  The Texan's Surprise Return, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 23 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Among the Poppies

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

CIESIELSKI, J'NELL
AMONG THE POPPIES

The ideal lady wears lace, speaks quietly, and never under any circumstances fixes her own automobiles. But Gwyn Ruthers has never cared two snaps for the ideal lady. With the war to end all wars exploding across the Channel, she leaves behind her restrictive life as a chauffeur's daughter to serve in an all-female ambulance unit in France. Rambling over bomb blasted roads is far from the exotic travel she had in mind, but not even a handsome captain can distract her from the purposes at hand. Most of the time.

Slogging through mud and a despair that no man should have to witness, Captain William Crawford stumbles over a woman -- quite literally -- who has the ridiculous notion to enter a man's fight along the Front. Why can she not sit patiently at home like all the other complacent women?

Bound together by circumstances beyond their control, Gwyn and William must fight to survive the battle raging all around them. Can their love survive or will it become another casualty of war?

My Review:

published in 2018

Downton Abbey on the battlefront. Gripping and gritty and gobsmackingly good!

What an amazing introduction to J'Nell Ciesielski's gifted storytelling! I'd seen her name popping up in connection with her soon-to-be released book and was intrigued enough to do a little digging online. Emerged triumphant with an audible version of Among the Poppies -- which, as far as I can tell, is her debut. It's brilliantly narrated by Gwyn Olson who brings this story to life with passion and flare and added so much to my listening enjoyment.

What a moving story! An insider's look at all the aspects of war -- including battle and hospital scenes. Those are heart-wrenchingly accurate but not gruesomely detailed, so faint-of-heart readers needn't worry. Be prepared to be emotionally affected though. This is the kind of book that has the power to transform.

Love Gwyn's scrappy determination and ambitious dreams. But she's rooted in reality too. Not that she could ever be truly prepared for the horrors and challenges she meets as an ambulance driver in France, but she's much more grounded than her upper class friend who views it  as more of a romantic adventure. Such a contrast between these best friends -- Gwyn, the chauffeur's daughter and Cecilia, daughter of the manor.

In fact, this whole story is about contrasts -- the sweet, yearning sense of wonder that comes from new love versus the stark, despairing brutality of war. The differences between class expectations. The disparity between male and female roles. Friendship versus foes. Moments of gaiety and laughter amidst the bleak backdrop of battle. Such a merciless emotional onslaught that left my readerly senses reeling.

An utterly captivating inspirational romance with heart and hope.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Among the Poppies, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 23 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!